SOUND CHECK.PRINCE: "3121" (Universal) - Two stars With rare exceptions, Prince has churned out inconsistent albums for 30 years, coasting on a sea of nostalgia-fueled benevolence BENEVOLENCE, duty. The doing a kind action to another, from mere good will, without any legal obligation. It is a moral duty only, and it cannot be enforced by law. A good wan is benevolent to the poor, but no law can compel him to be so. BENEVOLENCE, English law. . Here is yet another uneven set, lifted by a few moments of intriguing minimalist funk but still padded with syrupy bedroom ballads, raunchy raun·chy adj. raun·chi·er, raun·chi·est Slang 1. a. Obscene, lewd, or vulgar: "[He] rap and formulaic Latin-pop. Two tracks stand out: the title song, a slice of midtempo syncopation syncopation (sĭng'kəpā`shən, sĭn'–) [New Gr.,=cut off ], in music, the accentuation of a beat that normally would be weak according to the rhythmic division of the measure. that recalls Prince's early-'80 s peak, and ``Black Sweat,'' an avant-garde club tune built on spare keyboards and the mini maestro's trademark falsetto falsetto (fôlsĕt`tō) [Ital.,=diminutive of false], high-pitched, unnatural tones above the normal register of the male voice, produced, according to some theories, by the vibration of only the edges of the larynx. . The usual hype extends to a merchandising effort hawking ``3121'' clothing and coffee mugs. - Fred Shuster NE-YO: "In My Own Words" (Def Jam) - Three stars This soulful Las Vegas-to-Studio City r&b crooner surfaced after he penned lyrics for top sellers by Mario and Mary J. Blige. In his impressive debut, the silky-voiced love man goes for a traditional, well-crafted r&b sound, complete with anguished ballads (``Time''), pop/r&b crossover gems (``So Sick'') and grinders (``Mirror''). By avoiding such hip-hop cliches as the string of guest cameos or use of instantly dated samples and beats, Ne-Yo manages to create something refreshing. - Fred Shuster CHRISTIAN SCOTT: "Rewind That" (Concord) - Three and one half stars The major label debut from this 22-year-old jazz trumpeter has been generating no small amount of hype and in this case, the accolades are deserved. ``Rewind That,'' in stores Tuesday, is the real deal, an expressive statement from the latest horn-blower to hail from the Crescent City. Nine of the 11 cuts here are originals, mostly emphasizing funky grooves and the electric energy of Scott's sextet. (Scott's uncle, saxophonist Donald Harrison, memorably guests on four tracks.) Anyone who digs Ben Webster will love Scott's warm, breathy breath·y adj. breath·i·er, breath·i·est Marked by or as if by audible or noisy breathing: a breathy voice. breath tone. - Glenn Whipp TRES TRES Tree Swallow (bird species Tachycineta bicolor) TrES Transatlantic Exoplanet Survey TRES Threat Radar Emitter Simulator CHICAS: "Bloom, Red & The Ordinary Girl" (Yep Roc) - Three and one half stars The second album from alt-country Supremes Lynn Blakey, Caitlin Cary and Tonya Lamm brings their exquisite harmonic convergence down from the mountain and takes it across the ocean. Produced in England by Neil Brockbank (Roxy Music) and drummer Robert Trehern, the disc boasts complex madrigal madrigal, name for two different forms of Italian music, one related to the poetic madrigal in the 14th cent., the other the most common form of secular vocal music in the 16th cent. and British folk flavorings that prove highly complementary to the Chicas' already classy, pirouetting vo cals. All told, a big move in a good direction. - Bob Strauss CHICAGO: "XXX" (Rhino/WMG) - Two stars How does a band keep going for 30 albums? The answer may be found in the Brit zombie comedy ``Shaun of the Dead Shaun of the Dead is a zombie-themed romantic comedy (or "rom zom com" as it dubs itself), released in 2004. It was written by Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright, directed by Edgar Wright, and stars Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. ,'' when a Chicago hit pops up in one scene. Could these middle- of-the-roadsters be members of the undead un·dead adj. No longer living but supernaturally animated, as a zombie. ? Actually, the group's longevity is due to a large, loyal fan base and the ability to devise tunes like the new album's ``Feel,'' a crafty pop item aimed at mass appeal. Produced with radio in mind by a member of country music's Rascal Flatts, ``XXX'' leaves you wondering if Chicago will ever run out of Roman numerals. - F.S. CAPTION(S): 6 photos Photo: (1) no caption (PRINCE) (2 -- 6) no caption (CD covers) |
|
||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion